Abstract
Traditional knowledge is a big reservoir of information and collective wisdom that is passed down from generation to generation and is less documented among ethnic communities. The state of Manipur in North East India falls within the Indo-Burma centre of biodiversity. The rich repository of biodiversity and different ethnic groups of the state presents a synergistic source of knowledge gathered and put forward over a long span of time, mostly in unwritten form. The ancient practices of the different communities in areas covering agriculture, religious rituals, taboos, and ethnomedicine are indicative of the fact that conservation of resources has been a major driving force in the activities of the indigenous people, hence contributing to sustainable development. There are many species of plants and animals associated with such beliefs and practices, for example, Phlogacanthus thrysiformis, Bambusa spp., Ficus spp., Phyllanthus emblica, Iris laevigata, Spondias mangifera, etc. leading to their conservation and awareness. The ethnic people of Manipur have a rich heritage of bio-folklore. Maintaining sacred groves and worshipping forest deities is an ancient religious tradition that is aimed towards the conservation of wild flora and fauna. Conservation of resources through traditional knowledge practices is a significant holistic practice that involves the present as well as future generations, and therefore, must be fortified through community-dependent conservation policies.
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Singh, H.B., Yaipharembi, N., Huidrom, E., Devi, C.A. (2022). Traditional Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices Associated with Ethnic People of Manipur, North East India in Conservation of Biodiversity. In: Rai, S.C., Mishra, P.K. (eds) Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Resource Management in Asia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16840-6_5
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